Abstract
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have gained a recent attention as a mode of converting organic waste into electricity using variety of biodegradable substrate as fuel. Different designs of MFCs are available for different purposes, however dual and single chamber MFCs are common used for energy generation. Type of electrode materials, membrane, pH, electron transfer rate, reactor design and operating conditions affects the performance of MFC. Microbes actively catabolize substrate and transform their chemical energy into electrical energy. MFCs could be utilized as power generator in small devices such as biosensor, pacemakers and by doing small modification (Microbial Electrolysis Cell) can produce hydrogen a potential fuel in cathodic chamber. Besides the merits of this technology, it is still immature and faces practical limitations such as low power and current density. The construction and analysis of MFCs requires knowledge of different disciplines ranging from microbiology and electrochemistry to materials and environmental engineering. This article presents various aspects of MFC technology for proper understanding of the readers. This article present an extensive literature survey of some selected papers published on MFC technology in the last decade. Various practical solutions have been suggested to overcome the practical challenges of this technology.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Aelterman P, Rabaey K, Schamphelaire LD, Clauwaert P, Boon N, Verstraete W (2008) Microbial fuel cells as an engineered ecosystem. In: Wall JD, Harwood CS, Demain AL (eds) Bioenergy ASM Press, Washington, DC, pp 307–322
Akdeniz F (2002.) Recent energy investigations on fossil and alternative nonfossil resources in Turkey ll u 43
Babanova S, Hubenova Y, Mitov M (2011) Influence of artificial mediators on yeast-based fuel cell performance. J Biosci Bioeng 112:379–387
Beecroft NJ, Zhao F, Varcoe JR et al (2012) Dynamic changes in the microbial community composition in microbial fuel cells fed with sucrose. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 93:423–437
Biotechnology AM (1999) Ulllted States Patent (19)
Bond DR, Lovley DR (2003) Electricity production by Geobactersulfurreducens attached to electrodes. Appl Environ Microbiol 69:1548–1555
Catal T, Li K, Bermek H, Liu H (2008) Electricity production from twelve monosaccharides using microbial fuel cells. J Power Sources 175:196–200
Chae K-J, Choi M-J, Lee J-W et al (2009) Effect of different substrates on the performance, bacterial diversity, and bacterial viability in microbial fuel cells. Bioresour Technol 100:3518–3525
Chaturvedi V, Verma P (2016) Microbial fuel cell: a green approach for the utilization of waste for the generation of bioelectricity. Bioresour Bioprocess 3:1–14
Chaudhuri SK, Lovley DR (2003) Electricity generation by direct oxidation of glucose in mediatorless microbial fuel cells. Nat Biotechnol 21:1229–1232
Chookaew T, Prasertsan P, Ren ZJ (2014) Two-stage conversion of crude glycerol to energy using dark fermentation linked with microbial fuel cell or microbial electrolysis cell. New Biotechnol 31:179–184
Clauwaert P, Rabaey K, Aelterman P et al (2007) Biological denitrification in microbial fuel cells. Environ Sci Technol 41:3354–3360
Du Z, Li H, Gu T (2007) A state of the art review on microbial fuel cells: a promising technology for wastewater treatment and bioenergy. Biotechnol Adv 25:464–482
Elmekawy A, Srikanth S, Bajracharya S et al (2015) Food and agricultural wastes as substrates for bioelectrochemical system (BES): the synchronized recovery of sustainable energy and waste treatment. FRIN 73:213–225
El-Naggar MY, Finkel SE (2013) “Live wires.” The Scientist 1 May. 2013
Fan Y, Han SK, Liu H (2012) Improved performance of CEA microbial fuel cells with increased reactor size. Energy Environ Sci 5:8273–8280
Faria A, Gonçalves L, Martins G (2016) Resources recovery in the dairy industry: bioelectricity production using a continuous microbial fuel cell: 1–6
Gil G-C, Chang I-S, Kim BH et al (2003) Operational parameters affecting the performannce of a mediator-less microbial fuel cell. Biosens Bioelectron 18:327–334
Guo K, Hassett DJ, Gu T (2012) Microbial fuel cells: electricity generation from organic wastes by microbes
Guo X, Zhan Y, Chen C et al (2016) Influence of packing material characteristics on the performance of microbial fuel cells using petroleum refinery wastewater as fuel. Renew Energy 87:437–444
Harnisch F, Schroder U (2010) From MFC to MXC: chemical and biological cathodes and their potential for microbial bioelectrochemical systems. Chem Soc Rev 39:4433–4448
Harris HW, El-naggar MY, Bretschger O et al (2009) Electrokinesis is a microbial behavior that requires extracellular electron transport. PNAS 107:326–331
Hoel M, Kvemdokk S (1996) Depletion of fossil fuels and the impacts of global warming. Resour Energy Econ 18:115–136
Hoogers G (2014) Fuel cell technology handbook. CRC Press, Boca Raton
Hu W, Niu C, Wang Y et al (2010) Nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds degradation in the microbial fuel cells. Process Saf Environ Prot 89:133–140
Huang L, Regan JM, Quan X (2011) Bioresource technology electron transfer mechanisms, new applications, and performance of biocathode microbial fuel cells. Bioresour Technol 102:316–323
Ieropoulos IA, Greenman J, Melhuish C, Hart J (2005) Comparative study of three types of microbial fuel cell. Enzym Microb Technol 37:238–245
Jafari H, Hossein A, Jonidi A et al (2013) Enzyme and microbial technology bioelectricity generation using two chamber microbial fuel cell treating wastewater from food processing. Enzym Microb Technol 52:352–357
Khan MZ, Singh S, Sreekrishnan TR, Ahammad SZ (2014) Feasibility study on anaerobic biodegradation of azo dye reactive orange 16. RSC Adv 4:46851–46859
Khan MD, Abdulateif H, Ismail IM et al (2015a) Bioelectricity generation and bioremediation of an Azo-Dye in a microbial fuel cell coupled activated sludge process. PLoS One 10:e0138448
Khan MZ, Singh S, Sultana S et al (2015b) Studies on the biodegradation of two different azo dyes in bioelectrochemical systems. New J Chem 39:5597–5604
Khan MD, Khan N, Sultana N et al (2017) Bioelectrochemical conversion of waste to energy using microbial fuel cell technology. Process Biochem 57:141–158
Lin CW, Wu CH, Chiu YH, Tsai SL (2014) Effects of different mediators on electricity generation and microbial structure of a toluene powered microbial fuel cell. Fuel 125:30–35
Liu H, Grot S (2005) Electrochemically assisted microbial production of hydrogen from acetate. Environ Sci Technol 39:4317–4320
Liu H, Cheng S, Logan BE (2005) Production of electricity from acetate or butyrate using a single-chamber microbial fuel cell. Environ Sci Technol 39:658–662
Logan BE, Liu H (2004) Electricity generation using an air-cathode single chamber microbial fuel cell in the presence and absence of a proton exchange membrane. Environ Sci Technol 38:4040–4046
Logan BE, Regan JM (2006) Electricity-producing bacterial communities in microbial fuel cells. Trends Microbiol 14:512–518
Logan BE, Hamelers B, Rozendal R et al (2006) Microbial fuel cells: methodology and technology. Environ Sci Technol 40:5181–5192
Logan BE, Cheng S, Watson V, Estadt G (2007) Graphite fiber brush anodes for increased power production in air-cathode microbial fuel cells. Environ Sci Technol 41:3341–3346
Luo Y, Zhang F, Wei B et al (2011) Power generation using carbon mesh cathodes with different diffusion layers in microbial fuel cells. J Power Sources 196:9317–9321
Matter PH, Zhang L, Ozkan US (2006) The role of nanostructure in nitrogen-containing carbon catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction. J Catal 239:83–96
Min B, Kim J, Oh S et al (2005) Electricity generation from swine wastewater using microbial fuel cells. Water Res 39:4961–4968
Mink JE, Rojas JP, Logan BE, Hussain MM (2012) Vertically grown multi-walled carbon nanotube anode and nickel silicide integrated high performance micro- sized ( 1.25 μL) microbial fuel cell (supporting information). Nano Lett 12:791–795
Miran W, Nawaz M, Jang J, Lee DS (2016) International biodeterioration & biodegradation sustainable electricity generation by biodegradation of low-cost lemon peel biomass in a dual chamber microbial fuel cell. Int Biodeterior Biodegrad 106:75–79
Najafabadi AT, Ng N, Gyenge E (2016) Electrochemically exfoliated graphene anodes with enhanced biocurrent production in single-chamber air-breathing microbial fuel cells. Biosens Bioelectron 81:103–110
Oh ST, Kim JR, Premier GC et al (2010) Sustainable wastewater treatment: how might microbial fuel cells contribute. Biotechnol Adv 28:871–881. doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2010.07.008
Oon Y, Ong S, Ho L et al (2017) Bioresource technology role of macrophyte and effect of supplementary aeration in up-flow constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell for simultaneous wastewater treatment and energy recovery. Bioresour Technol 224:265–275
Pandey P, Shinde VN, Deopurkar RL et al (2016) Recent advances in the use of different substrates in microbial fuel cells toward wastewater treatment and simultaneous energy recovery. Appl Energy 168:706–723
Pandit S, Khilari S, Roy S, Pradhan D, Das D (2014) Improvement of power generation using Shewanella putrefaciens mediated bioanode in a single chambered microbial fuel cell: effect of different anodic operating conditions. Bioresour Technol 166:451–457
Pant D, Van Bogaert G, Diels L, Vanbroekhoven K (2010) A review of the substrates used in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for sustainable energy production. Bioresour Technol 101:1533–1543
Rabaey K, Boon N, Siciliano SD et al (2004) Biofuel cells select for microbial consortia that self-mediate electron transfer. Appl Environ Microbiol 70(9):5373
Rabaey K, Clauwaert P, Aelterman P, Verstraete W (2005) Tubular microbial fuel cells for efficient electricity generation. Environ Sci Technol 39:8077–8082
Rabaey K, Sompel KVD, Maignien L, Boon N, Aelterman P, Clauwaert P et al (2006) Microbial fuel cells for sulfide. Environ Sci Technol 40:5218–5224
Rahimnejad M, Bakeri G, Najafpour G et al (2014) A review on the effect of proton exchange membranes in microbial fuel cells. Biofuel Res J 1:7–15
Rahimnejad M, Adhami A, Darvari S et al (2015) Microbial fuel cell as new technology for bioelectricity generation: a review. Alexandria Eng J 54:745–756
Rengasamy K, Berchmans S (2012) Bioresource technology simultaneous degradation of bad wine and electricity generation with the aid of the coexisting biocatalysts Acetobacter aceti and Gluconobacter roseus. Bioresour Technol 104:388–393
Ringeisen BR, Henderson E, Wu PK et al (2006) High power density from a miniature microbial fuel cell using Shewanella oneidensis DSP10. Environ Sci Technol 40:2629–2634
Rozendal RA, Hamelers HVM, GJW E et al (2006) Principle and perspectives of hydrogen production through biocatalyzed electrolysis. Int J Hydrog Energy 31:1632–1640
Rozendal RA, Hamelers HVM, Rabaey K et al (2008) Towards practical implementation of bioelectrochemical wastewater treatment. Trends Biotechnol 26:450–459
Samsudeen N, Radhakrishnan TK, Matheswaran M (2015) Bioresource Technology Bioelectricity production from microbial fuel cell using mixed bacterial culture isolated from distillery wastewater. Bioresour Technol 195:242–247
Schröder U (2007) Anodic electron transfer mechanisms in microbial fuel cells and their energy efficiency. Phys Chem Chem Phys 9:2619–2629
Society R (2016) Electrical effects accompanying the decomposition of organic compounds. II. Ionisation of the gases produced during fermentation. Author (s): Potter MC, Source: Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Containing Papers of a Publish. 91:465–480
Sonawane JM, Marsili E (2014) Science direct treatment of domestic and distillery wastewater in high surface microbial fuel cells. Int J Hydrog Energy 39:21819–21827
Song H, Zhu Y, Li J (2015) Electron transfer mechanisms, characteristics and applications of biological cathode microbial fuel cells–a mini review. Arab J Chem:1–8
Song R-B, Zhao C-E, Jiang L-P et al (2016) Bacteria-affinity 3D macroporous graphene/MWCNTs/Fe3 O4 foams for high-performance microbial fuel cells. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 8:16170–16177
Su DS, Zhang J, Frank B et al (2010) Metal-free heterogeneous catalysis for sustainable chemistry. ChemSusChem 169–180
Sultana S, Khan MD, Sabir S et al (2015) Bio-electro degradation of azo-dye in a combined anaerobic–aerobic process along with energy recovery. New J Chem 39:9461–9470
Tables A (2013) World population prospects. The 2012 revision
Tandukar M, Huber SJ, Onodera T, Pavlostathis SG (2009) Biological chromium(VI) reduction in the cathode of a microbial fuel cell. Environ Sci Technol 43:8159–8165
Worrell JH (1997) Inorganic chemistry an industrial and environmental perspective. J Chem Educ 74(12):1399
Wu TSX, Zhou CC (2014) Effect of different acclimation methods on the performance of microbial fuel cells using phenol as substrate. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 37:133–138
Yang Q, Wang X, Feng Y et al (2012) Electricity generation using eight amino acids by air – cathode microbial fuel cells. Fuel 102:478–482
Yi H, Nevin KP, Kim B et al (2009) Biosensors and bioelectronics selection of a variant of Geobacter sulfurreducens with enhanced capacity for current production in microbial fuel cells. Biosens Bioelectron 24:3498–3503
Zhang X, Xia X, Ivanov I et al (2014) Enhanced activated carbon cathode performance for microbial fuel cell by blending carbon black. Environ Sci Technol 48:2075–2081
Zhu G, Chen G, Yu R, Li H, Wang C (2016) Enhanced simultaneous nitrification/denitrification in the biocathode of a microbial fuel cell fed with cyanobacteria solution. Process Biochem 51:80–88
Acknowledgement
Authors are thankful to Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh for providing necessary research facilities. Authors are also thankful to Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), University Grants Commission for departmental research support in the form of DRS II Grant.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Khan, M.D., Khan, N., Sultana, S., Khan, M.Z., Sabir, S., Azam, A. (2018). Microbial Fuel Cell: Waste Minimization and Energy Generation. In: Oves, M., Zain Khan, M., M.I. Ismail, I. (eds) Modern Age Environmental Problems and their Remediation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64501-8_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64501-8_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-64500-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-64501-8
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)